Clipper.



C. O. RONGSTAD.

CLIPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. 1915.

1 9 1 61,842, Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c 00000000000000000 c.

C. 0. RONGSTAD.

CLIPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. 1915.

1,1613%2. Patented Nov. 23,1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

lvwwwhoz C0 RQNQSTHD Humane/1 c0|.\'.\\|n/\ PLANOGRAPH CO.. WASHINGTON. n. c,

CARL OSCAR RONGSTAD, OF VALIER, MONTANA.

. CLIPPER.

lamas.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. as, rare.

Application filed March 31, 1915. Serial No. 18,328.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CARL OSCAR BONG- STAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valier, in the county of Teton and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clippers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in clippers and has particular reference to those ofvthe type which are especially designed for use by barbers in hair cutting.

In cutting the hair on the neck and back of the head and around the temples and side of the head, it is necessary for the barber when using the clippers to carefully gage' with his eye, the distance which the cutting knives must be spaced fromthe subjects head as the clippers are moved upwardly. This distance must be increased as the clippers move from the base of the neck toward the top of the head in order that a tapering or beveled appearance from the clean shaven portion ofthe neck to the relatively long hairs on the top of the head, may be obtained.

It is obvious that as the clipper knives are moved away from the head, there will be no surface over which the clippers may pass and that it is, therefore, to produce an even and uniform taper around the head and all portions of the neck when the steadiness of the barbers hand is the only factor controlling the spacingvof the clipping knives from the subjects head.

Being cognizant of the above conditions, I have had in mind, as the principal object of my invention the provision of a pair of clippers in whichjthe cutting knives. are accompanied by a spacer foot which is adapted to automatically move away from the cutter blades, while the same are being moved from the base of the neck toward the top of the head and to so dispose the foot, with respect to the cutter knives, that the foot bears, at all times, against the subjects head,'whereby the clippers may move over a firm surface, thereby eliminating the steadiness of the barbers hand and his ability to judge distances as the controlling factors in the 1 production of a uniform and even the length of the hair. y i

A. further ob ect of the invention is to ac;

taper in extremely difficult company the spacer foot with a relatively simple mechanism which connects it to the handle controlling the movable cutter knife and to so design this mechanism that the spacer foot will be moved a relatively small distance away from the cutter knives upon each stroke of the movable knife.

Another and more specific object of the invention isto provide an operating mechanism for the spacer foot, in which a cam controlled by the movable knife handle .is arranged to cause the movement of the spacer foot away from .the knives for a predetermined number of strokes of the movable knife and to then automatically permit the return of the spacer foot to its initial position, in engagement with the fixed knife.

Another objectis to design the clippers with such regard to proportion, number 'and arrangement of parts that the device maybe cheaply manufactured, will be durable and efficient in service and will display all the characteristics and features of construction of the standard type of clippers now in vogue, without entailing any material changes in the construction thereof.

The above and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished by such meansas are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form part of this ap'plication.

Wltll. reference to the drawings, wherem there has. been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate. corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of tl 1e.instrument, illustrating the parts thereofin. disassembled relation,

and indicating the manner in which they are adapted tobe assembled to form an operative device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showingv the clippers'as applied to a subjects head; Fig. 3 is a composite diagrammatic view showing the cam and associated parts of the actuating mechanism in three different places, during one complete cycle of movement; Fig. l is a top plan vie\v,the

handles or, levers ofthe cutter knives being shown in section; Fig. 5 1s a section on the line .55, of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation of the rock arm and link which connect the lever and cam controlling dog.

As previously explained, my invention consists principally, in'a spacer foot and attaching means therefor which may be easily applied to a clipper of standard type, with- 7 out requiring any extended changes in the construction thereof. a As shown in the drawings, the clippers shown in Fig. 1, in-

clude as do all ordinary clippers, a pair of co-acting cutting knives l0. and 11, a cap plate or housing 12, and a pair of handles or operating levers 13 and 14, the former of 'which is fixed to the stationary knife 10 and the latter of which is freely connected to the movable knife and is operable for moving the same transversely on the fixed knife.

Thespacer foot which constitutes a portion of my invention consists in a rectangiv lar body plate 15, perpendicularly from which project a pair of parallel guide posts 16 and 17 The guide posts are mounted for reciprocation through the openings 18 formed inQthe stationary knife 10. In the movable knife are formed a pair of elongated openings or slots 19 which are transv versely spaced and are provided to receive the posts andto permit the movable guide to be reciprocated over the stationary knife in the usual manner. From the outer longitudinal edge of the spacer foot project in vparallel relation to each other, apair of trance of hairs between the teeth. At the same time, it will be seen that the fingers or 'tangs form continuations of the spacer foot sothat a support is provided for the instrumentat the, outer ends of the knife teeth. The cap plate is, as best shown in Fig. 1 procvided with a pair of transversely spaced openings 21 which recelve the posts and permit their reciprocation through the cap plate. I The cap plate is alsoformed with an opening 22 which receives the pivot post 23 on whichthe' handle 14 ismounted. In, the

rear of the opening 22 there arises from the cap plate a post 24, the upper end of which is bifurcated and pivotally receives the'rock arm '25 which controls the position of the spacer foot. Theforward end of this rock arm bears upon a pin or rod 26 which passes through the posts 16 and 17,, at the outer ends thereof. This pin serves as a stop for holdingthe helical springs 27 and 28 against displacement from the posts. These springs are of expansive type and normally hold the spacer foot in engagement with the stationary knife.

From the foregoing description it will now be apparent that the rock arm may be swung to move the pin or rod 26 toward the cap plate with a resultant sliding of the post through this member and the movement of the spacer foot away from the stationary knife. As a means for accomplishing this swinging of the rock arm, so that the spacer foot will be moved gradually away from the stationary guide until it has been projected a predetermined distance, after which it antomatically returns to its initial position of engagement against the stationary knife, I employ 'a controlling cam 29 which is mounted on an axle 30 carried by a. bracket plate 31 and is controlled by a dog 32, freely connected to and actuated by the movable knife handle 16.

The cam 29 is formed from a circular disk of metal in the periphery of which is formed a spiral groove 29 which is generated about an axis coincident with the axis of revolution of the cam. In this groove the rear end of the rock arm is normally held by the tension of the springs 27 and 28. The axle 30 extends laterally from the arm 33 of the bracket plate 31. This bracket plate v31 is provided with the spaced extensions 34 and 35 which are interposed between the butt portion 36 of the stationary handle and the stationary knife. The screws 37 pass through these extensions and into the butt portion of the handle for holding both elements in position on the stationary knife. The dog 82 is pivoted on a rock arm 38 which is pivoted intermediate its length on the outer end of the axle 30 and is freelv connected at its lower terminal with the movable knife handle 16, by means of a link 39. A pivot stud 40 is set into the butt portion 41 of the handle 16, as shown in Fig. 4.

A pivot stud 42 is formed integrally with the lower end of the rock arm 38. A spring 7 43 is carried by the upper end of the pawl lever and is engaged with the pawl for normally holding the free end of this member in engagement with the ratchet disk 44 which is connected to the face of the cam I 29 and is rotatable therewith on the nozzle.

A pawl 45 which is preferably formed from a single length of spring metal, is secured to the bracket plate 31. and is arranged at its terminal, yieldably engaging the ratchet disk. This spring pawl 45 is adapted to prevent the counter rotation of the ratchet disk as a result of the tension of the springs.

The actual construction and arrangement of the several parts having been mentioned and disclosed, it now remains to describe the manner in which the parts coiiperate in the casing, in moving the spacer foot away .from the knives and in automatically permitting the spacer foot to come back into engagement with the stationary knife under the tension of the springs 27 and 28. In this connection reference will now be had particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 in which it will be seen that upon each stroke of the movable knife, the pawl 32 will be advanced of the ratchet disk, through the medium of the link and the pawl and arm controlled thereby. The return of the movable handle to normal position after each stroke will, of course, through the retraction of the link 39 and the consequent reverse swinging of the pawl arm, cause the disk to turn in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. When the spacer foot is in its initial position, of en gagement against the stationary knife, the rear end of the rock arm lies at the inner end of the groove 29 the pin 26 lying at its maximum distance from the knives. Thus it will be seen that by manipulating the movable knife handle 1.6, to reciprocate the movable knife a number of times equal to the number of the teeth on the ratchet disk, this latter member will have made a complete revolution. During the rotation of the ratchet disk, the rear end of the rock arm 25 is swung outwardly against the tension of the spring until the extreme terminal of the rock arm passes over the shoulder 46 at the outer end of the groove. Immediately prior to the sliding of the rock arm over the shoulder 46, the spacer foot has been moved its maximum distance away from the stationary knife. Of course, the movement of the rock arm over the shoulder 46 permits the springs 27 and 28 to again expand with a resultant movement of the pin 26 away from the cap plate and the return of the spacer foot into engagement with the stationary knife.

It will now be noted that the instrument may be so designed that the number of strokes of the movable knife necessary to cause a complete revolution of the ratchet disk and cam will be equal to the number of strokes necessary, under normal conditions, to cut hair for a run of three inches or any other distance which is found to be the average run necessary to complete the clipping of the tapered portion of the hair. Should it be found in practice that the number of strokes necessary to complete the taper in the hair of the subjects head, be

less than the number of strokes necessary to move the spacer foot out to completely extended position and back to initial position, the barber may, of course, let the clippers remain idle, while the further number of strokes necessary to extend the spacer foot and return it to initial position, are being made.

It will now be seen that the spacer foot in my clippers is automatically operated upon the reciprocation of the movable knife and that it provides a firm and steady runner or support for the cutting blades at all times, thereby making it unnecessary for the barber to manipulate the clippers, while running them along an imaginary surface.

In reduction to practice it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical, yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

hat is claimed is 1. The combination with a hair clipping instrument having a fixed knife, a movable knife, and a lever controlling the movable knife, of a spacer foot arranged in opposed relation to the fixed knife, for reciprocation with respect thereto, a rocker arm to actuate the spacer foot, and operating means for said rocker arm arranged rearwardly of the fulcrum of said lever and operatively connected thereto, whereby the spacer foot is reciprocated in the actuation of the movable knife.

2. The combination with a hair clipping instrument having a fixed knife, a movable knife and a lever controlling the movable knife, of a spacer foot disposed in parallel relation to the fixed knife for reciprocation with respect thereto, a rocker arm to operate the spacer foot, and actuating means for said rocker arm including a cam having a fixed shaft, and means for intermittently rotating said cam, consisting of an oscillatable element mounted on the shaft and operatively connected to said lever for actuation thereby.

3. The combination with a hair clipping instrument having a fixed knife, a movable knife, and a lever controlling the movable knife, of a spacer foot disposed in parallel relation to the fixed knife for reciprocation with respect thereto, a rocker arm fulcrumed intermediate of its ends, means on the spacer foot operatively engaged by one end of said arm, and actuating means for the arm mounted rearwardly of the fulcrum of said lever and including a cam rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft and engaged by the other end of said rocker arm, a ratchet carried by the cam, a dog oscillatably supported upon said shaft, and engaging the teeth of the ratchet to intermittently rotate the cam in one direction, and means operatively connecting the dog support to said lever.

4.. A hair clipping instrument including a spacer foot in engagement with the fixed knife, a pivotally mounted rocker arm bearing at its forward terminal against the transverse rod, a cam engaged by the rear terminal of the rocker arm, and a dog operatively connected to the lever for operating the cam, whereby the rocker arm is actuated to gradually move the spacer foot away from the fixed knife during a cycle consisting of a predetermined number of strokes of the lever, said springs being adapted to return the spacer foot to initial position of engagement with the fixed knife, upon the completion of the cycle.

' 5. A hair clipping instrument including 1 Copies of this patent may be obtained for fixed knife, a movable knife, a lever controlling the movable knife, a cap plate mounted upon the fixed knife, a bracket plate having one terminal interposed between the fixed knife and cap plate, a spacer foot mounted for reciprocation with respect to the fixed knife, a rocker arm operatively connected to the spacer foot, a cam rotatably supported by the bracket plate and engaging with the rocker arm for controlling the position of the same, a dog lever pivoted upon the axle of the cam, a dog carried by the dog lever, a ratchet wheel fixed with respect to the cam and engageable by the dog, and a link connecting the dog lever and movable knife controlling lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CARL OSCAR RONGSTAD. Witnesses:

H. D. HARRISON, WILSON E. FLEMING.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 11.0. 

